Off to the Emerald Isle...

I really can't wait - now that all the hard work has been done, I'm high on life at the thought of travelling to the Emerald Isle for a two day demo at David Walsh School and Office Supplies in Dungarvan, Ireland. Apparently it's a beautiful place and I can't wait to see it - and to meet all the avid crafters that David has told me all about. I'm off with Sheila Halliwell, me bezzy - who is also demoing, so we're sure to have a scream of a time. It will be great to see Cliona too!I'll be sure to take lots of photos.

Well, I'll leave you now with something I made a while ago.

When I travel for work I have to record my mileage, and I usually forget - leaving me wondering where I've been etc! So, when I had that time off work I zsushed up this little notebook to keep in my car so I can write down all the details. All the supplies are We R Memory Keepers.

When I showed it to David, he couldn't stop laughing! When I asked him why he was laughing so much he said - Goodness you can tell you're a crafter, anyone else would have a plain book!

Rather be embellished than plain!

Well, better set off for Sheila's house, don't want to miss the plane!

AWOL...Again!

Sorry I've been AWOL again..give me 50 lashes with the cat o'nine tails and let's call it quits? I truly have meant to update daily, as I love doing my blog, but as some of you may find, crafting, housework, family and friends seem to get in the way! That's how it should be, life is for living - and in the real , not the virtual world. Still I love it here.

We filmed Creativity! TV last week and as usual a good time was had by all. Everyone loved the cupcakes I took baked by my friend Michelle, and as you can imagine I was very popular - I've never seen so many men in the studio! We also had a visitor in the CCTV studio - Linda (owner of Blue Summerhouse Design blog) , who had won a competition to spend a day with us at the studios. She had made a really gorgeous card with the Penelope and Percy Collection, which you'll get to see in a future episode. It was lovely to speak to someone who is as passionate about her crafting as me!
On Thursday I'll be travelling to Ireland with my Bestest Friend Ever and docrafts colleague Sheila Halliwell for a two day demo starting on Friday 30th July at David Walsh School and Office Supplies in Dungarvan. Cliona Larkin will also be demonstrating - it really will be great to see her again, as the last time I saw her was in February. I could listen to her gorgeous accent forever and a day, and I really can't wait to demo, just to hear that gorgeous Southern Irish accent. It's certainly going to be a crafty weekend by the Sea! I plan to sample a real Irish Guinness - David already has my order behind the Bar!Sheila and I have also promised one another that we will get up early and have a walk on the beach - until it's time for us to get up of course! For more information about the two days, and to book a place click here.
An then... not long after I get back from Ireland, we're off on our long awaited holiday to DISNEY WORLD, Florida! I simply cannot wait - really, I can't! It's the third time we've been, David and I went for our honeymoon, and then again we shared our experience with Joe when he was nearly three. Now we go again to celebrate our 10 year Wedding Anniversary. This time we're staying at WDW Port Orleans Resort, the previous times we've stayed at All Star Movies. The DWD resorts are simply the best!!! Can you tell how excited I am? I'm simply bouncing off the walls! I love EVERYTHING about it - it truly is where magic lives. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but we wouldn't all so to be the same.
Anyhoo, seeing as I've been away for a little while, I think its about time I shared a card.

Here's a card I made with free papers from Simply Cards and Papercrafts one night when I just wanted to make a card. You know, it's about 10.30pm and the urge suddenly hits you. I love these designs and the colours are just perfect for this time of year. I don't know if you can see, but I added some Anita's 3D Clear Gloss Finish to the dots on the flower. I ♥ that stuff!
That's all for now folks. see you soon, and not too long this time!

All the fun of the Fayre!

Hi there!

Sorry for my long absence - I really have missed blogging over the past few days, but no matter how I try and post short snappy posts, it never really happens, and before I know it an hour has gone past and I haven't got on with what I should be doing!

Friday's show went very well, and it was great to spend the evening before with my best friend Sheila Halliwell. After our shows we went for a spot of lunch and the recently opened Peterborough Garden Park, and it was really lovely, although very hot - I would stick my neck out to say that it felt like the hottest day of the year so far! I SO need a car with air con {and a bigger boot, but that's another subject altogether - don't even get me started on that one!}.

So when I got back home on Friday, did I kick back and enjoy a glass of vino? No, I had to start getting ready for the local summer fayre - Woottonstock. I was having a stall and I had done virtually nothing to be ready for it - and there was so much I wanted to do. I stayed up until 4am....FOUR AM! I seriously think I should have my nonce looked at sometimes! When I couldn't keep my eyes open or my back from causing me pain any longer I crawled into bed, only to have to be up for 8am to reserve my table and get ready for the day. I had also promised the organisers I would do some make and takes so at the eleventh hour I was running around like a headless chicken collecting this and that to make up a 'make a card' table. I honestly thought I was going to have a heart attack I was so uptight!

So, to cut a long story short {'TOO LATE' I hear you shout!} the day went really well, and a pretty penny was raised for charity, so all's well that ends well. Here are just a few snaps of the day.

Here's the lovely Michelle with her cupcake business {The Lincolnshire Cupcake Company} with her scrummy cakes, and a new addition to her fantastic cake designs - her egg boxes! Aren't they just amazing!

This is the lovely Emma {*waves*} HI Emma!!! I told you I'd put this photo on my blog! Emma doesn't normally dress like a Pirate - well not in public any way. She was manning the hidden treasure stall, you know - where you choose a square and if the treasure is hidden underneath it, then you win the treasure - in this case a metal detector - how cool is that! Also on the piccy is her lovely husband and her gorgeous little boy - he really is such a sweetheart, always with a smile!

Now, today we've done a show with the lovely Martyn - what a one to keep me on my toes! I promised some sneeky peek behind the scenes photographs, but as of yet I haven't had a chance to get any - it's just in and out {of the studio!}. All I managed to get was one of me just after I had finished setting out my wares {taken my myself, hence missing part of my face} and then one of Martyn and I straight after the hour, and I mean straight after - about 15 seconds to be precise. It's a little out of focus, taken by magic hands - also known as shaky hands in this instance, but it's still a lovely piccy all the same.

Half past seven in the morning, and I've been up for two hours...spot the blood shot eyes?!

I've my last hour tomorrow {for this week at least} at 2pm, so I'll try to get some more sneeky snaps then. They've been decorating the green room, and hopefully that will be finished tomorrow so I'm told. Whoo Hoo!

So until next time, stay out of trouble, or at least don't get caught!

What, Where, When!!!

Just a quick post today, as I know a couple of you have asked when I'm next on Ideal World/Create & Craft. I've been given clearance to let you know I'm on:

• Friday 9th July @ 10am (Create and Craft?)


• Monday 12th July @ 9am (Create and Craft?)


• Tuesday 13th July @ 2pm (Ideal World)

The reason I'm unsure of the channel is we just get to know the time, as everything is filmed in the same studios - you either go left and right out of the green room! As soon as I find out I'll update this post. I'm also going to try and get some behind-the-scenes sneeky peeky photos for you all too!

Unfortunately I can't tell you what it is we're featuring - all I can tell you is it's something gorgeous and NEW! As I'm getting ready for the shows I can't promise I'll have something new onl my blog every day, but I certainly will try!

Love You...Suprise!

Hi there,

Today I have a quick post and a little card I made for my lovely hubby David. He does so much for Joseph and I, and without his help and support I couldn't do any of what I do. I have to go away alot with work, and he's so understanding and jost gets on with it. I tell him how much I appreciate him all the time, but nothing says it like a card!

It was late at night when I made it, and so I thought I would leave it by his bedside table so he would find it when he woke up for work the following morning {he's ALWAYS in bed before me!}. I had the free papers from Simply Cards and Papercraft on my desk so I thought I would use those.

I added Anita's 3D clear gloss finish to areas on the heart, and around the hand drawn border {I'm really not sure about that border, but you know what happens when it's late...when really you should just leave well alone..} which I coloured in red. The letters are from BasicGrey, which start out their papercrafting life white. I coloured them black then added a glitter pen {which again I wasn't sure about}.

In any case, he got up at 6am, all bleary eyed - and when he saw the card - he said ooo that was worth getting up for. It was nice to see him smile over something simple I had done.

Hope you're all having a great day - go on, do it for someone special in your life and give them a great day too!

Yummy, Scrummy-licious!

There really is nothing like having a day {or even a few hours!} just to chill out and enjoy life, and after all the chores were done today {although I did find myself saying 'What happened to Sundays being a day of rest?'} I decided to introduce Joe to one of my favourite films of all time - 'Back to the Future'. Now he's getting that bit older, he's really getting into movies with more grown up themes {although you'll be pleased to hear that at the moment this doesn't include films like 'The Exorcist'}. I'm very pleased to report back that he loved it, although by the number of questions he was asking - he didn't really get the story line. I'm happy to admit even at 11 years old, when I first saw it, I was a little perplexed. We continued to the second installment, leaving the third for another day. Bliss!

I mentioned that yesterday I was helping my friend Michelle on her very first cupcake stall at a local fayre, and it was a resounding success! She had completely sold out by 2pm, just two hours after it had started. I'm so chuffed for her that it went well, and last night we celebrated with an Indian take away and a bottle of wine. We also designed and ordered a 6 ft banner for her stall , and gorgeous red aprons to match the colours in her logo.

Here are the business cards I designed for her - and she was over the moon with them. All the hours of work are so worth it when you can do something for a friend. You would think something as small as a business card would take no time at all to design, but I was learning as I was designing, so things took a little longer than expected. But I'm glad I did. To see the look on Michelle's face when she saw them was worth all the frustrated world coming from my mouth!

Here is Michelle, messing about behind a stand of her scrumptious cup cakes. Yes, they were yummy, and yes, you can see why they were gone in no time at all!

Her scrummy fruit basket cupcakes, complete with peanut M &M's. Yum!

So all in all it was a wonderful day. David, Joseph his friend came to meet us there, and we just sold the last cake as they approached the stall. Good job I had the forethought to put aside two cakes which we shared.

Anyhoo, that's all for now folks, tomorrow I'll have a card for you - in the meantime thanks for stopping by!

And Happy 4th July to all my American Visitors! Have a Great Day xx

Flowery Best Wishes

Good Evening!

Well, what a hectic day - I had a good few things that I really wanted to get done today for September's issue of Creativity! Magazine, and it wasn't until 7pm that I actually got around to doing them! I have a few hours on Ideal World from the 9th July, and I was e-mailing, phone calling and generally trying to sort that out before the weekend was in full swing. I really feel as though I've done nothing if I haven't done what I had planned - even if I actually got a lot done doing something else!

I have a quick card for you tonight that I made a few weeks ago using scraps from the Henbury lane collection. I might have mentioned before I love using scraps (especially at the time of them becoming scraps IYKWIM) and did I also say I ♥ the Henbury Lane Collection? Well, of course I did!

I'm really loving the CAS (Clean and Simple style) at the moment, I really can't seem to get enough of it! I still like to add a little ink to the edges of my paper and cardstock however as a half way house between matting and layering and nothing at all!

I've also used some scrummy glitter brads as a central embellishment to the Papermania capsule collection petals. And the embossing leaf punches are so great for adding a little 'something' to a design. This picture really doesn't do the embossed areas of the leaves justice - Here I sanded the embossed areas to release the core'dinations core! The greeting is from one of the Honey and Hugs stamp sets - I think all four are one of the most useful sets around for greetings!

Well , that's all for tonight - tomorrow I'm helping out my friend Michelle at her very first cupcake stall at a local fayre. I've made her business cards, tags and thank you cards to go with her orders/purchases - I'll take some pictures - then you can see her scrummy cakes on the stall.

Have a great weekend, and thanks for stopping by - it makes my day!

Added some TUNES!

Just a quick post to let you know I've added my music player to my blog again. If you don't want to hear, just scroll down (it's at the bottom of the side bar on the right), and press pause.

Ad just let me know if it gets on your nerves - I wouldn't want it to stop you visiting!

There May Be Trouble Ahead....

Ooo, I hate it when I've been away from my blog now for a couple of days - now that I've got back into it of course! It's like I have an addiction and get the DT's when I just can't find the time to make a post. Yet, here I am, sticky and tired due to the weather and work load, 'cos I just couldn't stay away any longer!

Yesterday was new Challenge of the week day over on the docrafts site, and this week it's the turn of the sketch challenge. Why not have a go? Click here to see the sketch! Normally I don't get time to make a card with the sketch, but this time I was itching to do a card with the sketch, so here it is.

I've used NEW Papers and cardstock stickers from the Born to Shop Bubbles Range (BTS) from docrafts - I really love the whole range; it's so me darling! And another thing I love are the new decorative scissor range from xcut - my fave being the bell scissors which cut this super cute border to my cardstock and paper! Also Papermania have these gorgeous new embossing folders for use in die cutting machines, there are 10 designs to choose from, and they're an absolute bargain at £2.99!!

I've embellished the card with a couple of flowers from the capsule collection, and some Alphamini foam letters which I ♥ !The glitter scalloped circle and strip are from the BTS cardstock stickers, which come pre-cut - so no fiddly cutting out - winner!

Now onto our Wootton Posse trip to Alton Towers/ Splash Landings. As I've mentioned in a previous post, there was drama afoot, which is usually the case where I'm involved. I remembered the tickets, the hotel reservations, the postcode and sat nav, and the sun cream. It was when we were on the Park that the 'fun' started! First I'll set the scene....

It would be rude not to introduce you to the 'Wootton Posse'! Here we Have Michelle (creator of those gorgeous cupcakes!) with her children; David (the hubby), with Joe in front; And Richard with Sue, with Richard's elder daughter Megs, and then their two younger children. Can you spot who's missing. Yes. Me. Cos I always have to take the photographs. As you can see though, I have left space next to Michelle, just in case I ever have the inclination to superimpose me into the photo. No, it's not a bad case of cropping at all. Definitely not. Look at those two in the background, studying that map like it's a reconnaissance mission - go boys!!!

Joe on arrival at the park, quite evidently nonchalant at the thought of a weekend of fun. What shall I do with him?

Can you believe that someone had been silly enough to joy ride some type of ranshack vehicle into the reception area of Splash Landings, and the staff haven't even had it removed??? And the police have even taken the liberty of clamping it! House Keeping - Stat!

I loved these, what an ingenious and inspiring way to use umbrellas - as light shades. I Don't think David was over impressed however when I mentioned this would look good in our new hallway. And open umbrellas inside? I should have known this spelled O-M-E-N.

This is Ringo, the Splash Landings resident Racoon (don't all hotels have Racoons? - well, maybe in America). Joe in the past hasn't been keen on over sized furry dressed up people, as I found out after a two hour wait to meet Mickey Mouse and friends a couple of years ago - but things look promising for this years trip to Disney World. Yahoo!

Love this crest as you go into THE actual Towers of Alton themselves. Probably not original, as you can probably see the difference in colour from the tower to the lion, but there we are - still impressive stone masonry whenever it was carved! We were waiting to go on the ride 'HEX', a ride that is supposedly haunted, and about a curse that an old beggar woman placed on the Earl of Shropshire who lived at Alton Towers way back when. Are you still with me? LOVE anything like that!

Anyway, now onto the drama, drama, drama! After a lovely day of us all parading around the theme park, we decided that we would split into three separate groups to get on the last rides of the day. Sue and her daughter, Michelle and daughter, and myself and Joe went off to go on one of the fast rides, and a couple of the smaller ones. We went on the Sky ride (cable car to you and me), and once off we started walking to the rides. About a minute later, Sue said "where's Joseph?" - we spun around... and he was no where to be seen.

Now, have you ever had that feeling where you just go white and you can feel panic start to set in, but you know you must be logical and rational? Well, that was me. We immediately all split up and started re-tracing our steps, how could he have gone far - we'd only walked about 50 yards but we just couldn't find him. Only about 90 seconds had passed but we just couldn't find him.

We went to one of the members of staff and as I couldn't speak, Michelle said ' We've lost a child - what's the quickest way of getting him back?" and the man said "To where?" As you can imagine, I was filled with confidence. Then I said - "I've lost my little boy, he's only five". Once he knew what we were on about he quickly stepped into action, and was about to radio it in when a call came over the radio that there was a lost child at visitor services. A girl who was picking up litter very kindly took me up there, and there he was colouring in, eyes all red and bloodshot with crying - bless him!

As it happened, as we retraced our steps, Joe must have been concentrating on the new fan around his neck and continued walking up the hill. When he realised he was lost, a mum came up to him and took him to visitor service, and when he got there - bless his heart, he had remembered that David's and mine phone numbers were in his pocket and said to the woman "Please can you ring my mummy and daddy." I'm soooo proud of him for that.

Do you know, he was only missing for four minutes or so, but it felt like an eternity. It wasn't his fault, it was mine, and I will try my darnedest for it to never happen again. So there you are - drama indeed.

And just to put your mind at rest, he we are all reunited. Me, probably with a few more worry lines, and Joe - well I know he does have a peculiar look on his face but he's not traumatised by the ordeal ( I hope!) - I think he was mid blink, as he was jumping all over the place before and after said photograph.

Sorry for waffling - but I think spilling my story has had some sort of cathartic effect for me! I'm off now to get some stuff out of the loft for Ideal World next week - hope it doesn't smell musty!

Thanks for visiting - drop by again soon xx!